Community Contra Dance Returns to Williamstown This Saturday

11:18AM / Tuesday, January 06, 2026Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — North Berkshire Community Dance will host its monthly contra dance this Saturday, Jan. 10, at the First Congregational Church.

The event, held in the Community Hall at 906 Main Street, offers an evening of traditional New England folk dancing open to families, couples, and individuals.

The evening begins with an introductory lesson at 7:15 PM, followed by the main dance from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Liz Nelson will serve as the caller, utilizing "Larks and Robins" role terms.

Music for the event will be provided by Spare Parts, a Berkshire-based trio featuring:

Bill Matthiesen on piano
Liz Stell on flute
Eric Buddington on fiddle

Organizers emphasize that contra dancing is a social activity where participants are encouraged to change partners throughout the night; no partner is required to attend.

Admission follows a sliding scale of $12 to $20, though the organization maintains a policy that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Regarding public health, masks are welcome but not required, and the venue will keep windows open for ventilation. Attendees are asked to stay home if they feel unwell.

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Williamstown Moves Annual Town Meeting Back to Elementary School

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:39PM / Saturday, January 17, 2026

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Town Meeting will be held at Williamstown Elementary School for the first time since 2019 after a unanimous vote by the Select Board last Monday night.

The board voted 4-0 to move the annual meeting back to the Church Street school after it was held at Mount Greylock Regional School the last four years.

Twice, in 2020 and 2021, the meeting was held outdoors at Williams College's Weston Field during the height of the pandemic.

Technically, the 2022 meeting was scheduled for WES, but by the time it was convened, everyone who attended knew that the first order of business would be a motion to adjourn to a couple of weeks later at Mount Greylock to take advantage of the larger gym.

That gym was home to the meeting the next three years.

Board members discussed whether to move the May meeting back to WES and closer to the center of the town's population made sense.

"It would be nice to get a younger generation participating," Shana Dixon said. "A two-minute walk down the street as opposed to an eight-minute drive to Mount Greylock makes a difference, a big difference."

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